Barbies Birth

Purpose Statement: The purpose of my speech is to inform the audience of the toys success
and to give better understanding of the infamous doll, Barbie altogether.
I. Introduction: Attention Getter: Ever meet someone who was 11 and a half feet tall?Well
according to calculations by Mattel Toys thats how tall Barbie would be if she was real. Today I
will be telling you about the History of Barbie, her overwhelming success, the roles and styles of
Barbie, and how Barbie relates to real life.
II. Body: A. Barbie started all from one idea of an everyday mom.
Ruth Handler
1. According to Barbielist Holland Handler was mother in the 1950s watched her daughter
playing with dolls made of card board and paper and played with them as "grown up" dolls
2. During this time most dolls were modeled after infant babies
3. Ruth worked with her husband, Elliot Handler.
Trans: After researching the current doll market, Ruth confirmed that there were plenty of baby
dolls available, but no three-dimensional teenage dolls
1. She developed the doll and named it after her daughter, later naming the Ken doll which is the
boy version after her son
2. She took her idea to Mattel Corp. and the board rejected her idea
3. Handler took a trip to Europe and saw the Lilli doll and transformed the Barbie doll into a 3D
doll and had clothes made for the doll, in which Mattel then accepted her new doll
Trans: Quickly the Barbie doll took over the nation in the homes of little girls. Soon she
reached all across the world.

A. Girls clamored for the doll, and Barbie set a new sales record for Mattel its first year on the
market (351,000 dolls, at $3 each). Which is equivalent to $23.97 today.
1.Taking several years for Mattel to catch up for the high demand
2. In the first 10 years more than $500 million was spent on Barbie products
Trans: As the success of Barbie took off, so did the roles and styles she had.
A. Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. According to the Randdom House novels of
the 1960s, her parents' names are George and Margaret Roberts of Willows, Wisconsin (Barbie
Doll History).
l. Barbie first appeared in the now-famous black-and-white striped swimsuit and signature
ponytail
2. Ken debuted in 1961 as Barbie's boyfriend
3. Ken and Barbie broke up on Valentine's Day in 2004 after being together more than 43 years
4. Ken and Barbie rekindled their romance announcing their reunion after seven years of being
apart on Valentine's Day 2011

5. Barbie had 3 sisters and one brother. Their names were Skipper, Stacie & Todd (twins) and
Kelly.
B. Barbie has had close to 150 inspirational careers
C. She had a dream house, the pink car, the swimming pool, even the Barbie mall.
Trans: Regardless of the reality of Barbie she was known worldwide for her flawless body and
made millions of dollars
III Conclusion: Barbie hit houses of young girls in 1959 and still to this day play in big role in
the childhood of young girls. From her history to her many successful eras Barbie impacted the
world. Ruth Handler's idea of this doll changed the "ideal" look for the everyday woman.
Unfortunately it has not always had a good impact but it has had an impact. Just remember if
Barbie was a real person she would have to carry her kidneys in her purse.
The organizational pattern of this speech will be associated with the sequential order of barbies
success and lifestyle